Priya Lakhani OBE announced as first keynote speaker
At the PPMA Total Show ® 2025
Organisers of the PPMA Total Show ®, which returns to the NEC, Birmingham in September, have announced the first keynote speaker for the event: Founder CEO of AI and education technology firm CENTURY, Priya Lakhani OBE.
Visitors to the UK’ s biggest processing and packaging machinery, robotics and industrial vision event, which takes place from 23-25 September, will have the opportunity to hear Priya’ s keynote speech, AI Everything Everywhere All at Once, on the first day of the show.
Now in its 38th year, the PPMA Total Show ® 2025 will showcase more than 350 exhibitors and 1,500 brands, giving attendees access to cutting-edge technology and solutions to optimise performance, reduce costs, and future-proof their businesses.
Organised by Automate UK, the PPMA Total Show ®, offers live equipment demonstrations, valuable insight into innovative technologies and networking opportunities to industry professionals from across the entire manufacturing spectrum. promised visitors access to unique expert-led seminars, and we are thrilled to have secured Priya to deliver the first keynote address at the event.
“ As the founder of an awardwinning AI and education technology company that develops learning tools for schools, colleges, universities and employers across the world, Priya’ s work and knowledge is inspiring, and her presentation aims to demystify AI and leave attendees AI confident and ready to leverage the technology to its full potential.
“ Her speech will include use cases and provide key strategic questions for visitors to apply within their own organisations, and we anticipate a great deal of interest from visitors keen to benefit from her expertise,” he added.
The co-host of BBC News’ s flagship AI programme, AI Decoded, Priya’ s experience is extensive. Further to having launched a successful FMCG business in 2008, Masala, which through its charitable foundation provided millions of meals and 35,000 vaccinations to the underprivileged in India and Africa, Priya went on to be appointed to the UK government’ s AI Council in 2019.
Priya then co-founded the Institute for Ethical AI for the education sector, prior to being appointed as Non-Executive Board Member to the UK Government Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport( DCMS), with specific focus on online safety and technology. advises the government as a member of the Prime Minister’ s Council of Science and Technology.
Most recently, Priya was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Tech Pioneer for her pioneering AI work at CENTURY.
Last year’ s event has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Best UK Trade Show category at the AEO Excellence Awards 2025, and Automate UK have pledged to deliver a show that exceeds expectations this year, with an itinerary of expert speakers, a networking reception and a series of live demos to showcase the latest technology solutions.
One of the standout successes of The PPMA Show ® 2024 was Innovations Eleven – a brand-new live demo theatre, in which 11 selected exhibitors launched new technology directly to attendees. The PPMA Total Show ® 2025 will expand on the success of this initiative, with the live demo theatre being broadcast in realtime via PPMA Total Show TV.
In addition, expert-led daily innovation tours will be hosted for visitors to expand on the technology being showcased and show them how to harness it within their own businesses.
Attendance for The PPMA Total Show ® 2025 is free. To register, visit: https:// www. ppmashow. co. uk.
Scott McKenna, Chief Operating Officer for Automate UK, said:“ When registrations for the PPMA Total Show ® opened last month, we
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In 2023 she was an advisor to Patrick Vallance for his Proinnovation Regulation of Technologies Review and currently